Ditching-machine.



E. WWEN. DVI'CHING MA'SHINE mmc/mem msn uic. 2G, 1916.

@ww/wko@ CHRL WERKEN C. WARREN.

DITCHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION man 0m26.191s.

-l23@ Patented Sept. 11, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

C. WARREN.

DITCHING MACHINE.

APPucAnou man 05u26, 19:6.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

me/Mofa Cam, WHRREN improved device of this general character C AIRLWARREN', SEBREE, KENTUCKY.

DITGHING-IVIACHINE.

igesaeso.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. i1, 191th Application led December 26, 1916. Serial No.138,876.

To all whom it may concern Be it known thatI, CARL WARREN, a citizen ofthe United States,` residing at Sebree, in the county of Webster andState of Ken tuclry, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Ditching Machines, of which the following is a specification,reference being had to the accompanying drawin s.. i

his invention relates to certain improvements in ditching machines andit is an object of the invention toprovide a novel and wherein theearth, after being loosened? is discharged at one side of the ditchbeing formed.

`The invention also has for, an object to provide a device of thisgeneral character with novel and improved guidingmeans for automaticallycontrolling the direction of travel of the machine during the digging orcutting of a ditch.` y

Furthermore it is an object of the invention to provide a novel andimproved ditching machine including a vertically adjustable elevatorupon which a digging iniple ment discharges together with means wherebytheelevator and the digging implement may be conveniently adjusted ineither an upward or downward direction.

The invention consists in the details Yof construction and in thecombination and arrangement of the several parts of my iinf.

better understood, I willnow proceed to` describe thev same withreference to the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a view intop plan of a ditch` ing machine constructed inV accordance with anembodiment of my invention; n

Fig. 2 vis a -view in sideelevation of a ditching machine as hereineinbodied;`

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig.2;

F ig. 4 is an enlarged view partly in top plan and partly in sectionillustrating a means for operating theelevator;

AFig. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken longitudinally of the machineas herein ein bodied; y

. F ig. 6 is a sectional view taken substanv tially on the line 66 ofFig. 2;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view in plan with a portion broken away of anendless conveyer as herein employed; and

Fig. 8 is a view in top plan of the plow or ground digging member asherein disclosed, detached.

As` disclosed in the accompanying drawings, 1 denotes an axle to theopposite extremitiesof which are affixed the traction wheels 2, saidaxle 1 and wheels 2 rotating in unison and in the same generaldirection.

Supported by the axie 1 and capable of swinging movement in a verticaldirection are the side boards 3 arranged in predetermined spacedrelation iongitudinally of the axle 1 and which extend a desireddistance rearwardly of said axle 1 and the traction wheels 2.

Extending between and rotatably supported `by the opposite end portionsof the boards 3 are the shafts 4 and 5 which have suitably aHixedthereto adjacent the inner faces ofthe boards 3, the sprockets 6 aroundwhich are disposed the endless chains 7. The chains 7 are connected bythe longitudinally spaced cross straps or bars 8 to which is suitablysecured, as at 9, the apron 10, said apron 10 being of a widthsubstantially equal to the space between the boards 3.

Ihe upper shaft 5 extends beyond one of the side boards 3 and isoperatively engaged, as at 11, with the short shaft 12 suitablysupported by the adjacent side board 3. The forward portion of the shaft12 has fixed thereto the beveled pinion 14 in mesh with the beveled gear15 loosely mounted upon the axle 1.

` The gear 15 is provided with a clutch face 16j with which is adaptedto coact the clutch member 17 suitably keyed to the axle 1 for rotationin unison therewith but capable of movement longitudinally of said axle1 under the influence of the operating lever 18 of a conventional type.It is thought to be self-evident that upon proper adjustment of theclutch member 18 the apron 10 may be caused to travel or remainstationary.

I find it of advantage to position below the upper and lower stretchesof the chains 7 the idle wheels 19 suitably supported by the side boards3 and which serve to hold against undue sagging the chains 7 and theapron i only necessary `for the occupant of the seat S to pull upon themember 50.

Suitably affixed to the tongue 30 in advance of the seat structure S butin close proximity thereto is the double tree 53 provided at itsopposite end portions with suitable means, as indicated at 54:, wherebydraft animals may be properly hitched to the machine. The tree 53 is ofsuch a length as to extend a suliicient distance beyond opposite sidesof the ditch or the like to be cut 'as to afford no hindrance to thedraft animals hitched to the tree.

From the foregoing description, it is thought to be obvious that aditching machine constructed in accordance with my invention is of anextremely simple and comparatively inexpensive nature and isparticularly well adapted for use by reason of the convenience andfacility with which it may be assembled, and it will also be obviousthat my invention is susceptible of some change and modification withoutmaterial departure from the principles and spirit thereof and for thisreason I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precisearrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown in carryingout my invention in practice, except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1. A ditching machine consisting of a portable structure, an elevatingmechanism supported by said structure and capable of rocking movement ina vertical direction, a ground digging implement carried by the forwardend portion'of the elevator, means coacting with the forward end portionof the elevator for raising or lowering the same, and a guide membercarried by the last named means and capable of free vertical movement.

2. A ditching machine consisting of a portable structure, an elevatingmechanism supported by said structure and capable of rocking movement ina vertical direction, a ground digging implement carried by the forwardend portion of the elevator, means coacting with the forward end portionof the elevator for raising or lowering the same, a

guide member carried by the last named means and capable of freevertical movement, and means for imparting upward movement tothe guidemember.

3. A ditching machine consisting of a portable structure, an elevatingmechanism supported by said structure and capable of rocking movement ina vertical direction, a ground digging implement carried by the forwardend portion of the elevator, means coacting with the forward end portionof the elevator for raising or lowering the same, a guide member carriedby the last named means and capable of free vertical movement, saidguide member including a frame, and disks carried by the opposite endsof the frame, said disks being rotatable about vertical axes.

4f. A ditching machine consisting of a portable structure, an elevatorsupported by said structure and capable of rocking movement in avertical direction, a ground digging implement carried by the forwardend ofthe elevator, a vertically disposed bar operatively engaged withthe forward end portion of the elevator, means for imparting endwisemovement to said bar, a sleeve loosely mounted upon the bar, and a guideframe depending from said sleeve.

5. A ditching machine consisting of a portable structure, an elevatorsupported by said structure and capable of rocking movement in avertical direction, a ground digging implement carried by the forwardend of the elevator, a vertically disposed bar operatively engaged withthe forward end portion of the elevator, means for imparting endwisemovement to said bar, a sleeve loosely mounted upon the bar, a guideframe depending from said sleeve, an arm extending from the sleeve, andmeans engageable with said arm for moving the sleeve upwardly upon thebar.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence oftwo witnesses.

CARL WARREN.

Witnesses:

BERT. MAJoRs, W. I. SMITH.

Copies of this patent may be'obtained for ve cents each, by addressing'the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, '.D. C.

